Friday, September 15, 2017

john mobilio • acoustic and electric basses

John Mobilio is a multi-talented musician who, as bassist, educator, musical director and performer brings his joy of jazz and music to audiences and students throughout Connecticut and into New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Living in Middlebury, Connecticut gives John easy access to performance venues in New York City, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, Hartford and the Springfield, Mass areas.

John performs regularly with the Chris Coogan Quintet, guitarist Mike Coppolla, vocalist Richard “Cookie” Thomas, and saxophonist Jim Clark. He has recently engineered and performed as bassist on the Chris Coogan Quintet CD Stars and Wind as well as bassist on the Jim Clark CD “Old As New". John has had the pleasure of performing in concert with jazz greats Lewis Nash, Jimmy Cobb, Mike Mainieri, Liam Teague, and Eliot Zigmund and Mike Clark. As a member of the Roylety Steel Pan Caribbean group, John interprets music of the islands on the fretless electric bass. In 2014 John became the bassist for Goldrush - a cutting-edge acoustic country band blending country and bluegrass music.

A founding member of The Jazz Trio, John along with Jim Santucci on piano, and Jack Varanelli on drums, John was bassist and engineer on two projects — The Jazz Trio CD, in 1998 and The Jazz Trio Alive with Glenda Davenport in 2002. The Jazz Trio had the privilege to perform as opening act for Branford Marsalis at the inaugural re-opening of the newly renovated Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Center in Woonsocket, RI.

John balances out his professional life as music educator and performing arts department chair at the Waterbury Arts Magnet School, an interdistrict facility in the Waterbury, CT Public School District.

John graduated from Housatonic Community College in 1977 with an Associates Degree, studying bass with Rick Petrone. He went on to the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, to earn his Bachelors of Music Education, studying classical acoustic bass with Leslie Martin of the Boston Symphony. A Masters Degree in Educational Technology and Media was earned from Central Connecticut State University in 1993. Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT awarded John a 6th Year Administration Degree in 2000. In 2013, John was a national semi-finalist for the Grammy Foundation Grammy Educator Award.